Creamy Tuscan Chicken: a Gem in a Crown of Italian Food
Do you love Italian taste? It is full of rich odors, the bright colors of vegetables, and the tenderness of cheese and cream. Creamy Tuscan Chicken is the brightest example of how Italian cooking traditions of several regions are combined into a nutritious and tasty meal which became popular overseas.
Have you ever tasted Creamy Tuscan Chicken? If not, it’s time to improve this! If you have already tried it, we offer you to get more information about this exceptional dish.
History and the Recipe of Creamy Tuscan Chicken
What is Creamy Tuscan Chicken? It is a tasty combination of chicken breast with creamy sauce, veggies, and seasoning. No evidence developed the recipe of Creamy Tuscan Chicken but it seems that this dish derives from two main culinary traditions of Italy. The first is a traditional Florentine sauce which consists of spinach, cream, and Parmigiano cheese. The Tuscan heritage added to this meal is regional dry tomatoes, garlic, and local aromatic herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, parsley, etc.).
As a result, today’s classy recipe of Creamy Tuscan Chicken includes:
- Chicken breasts with no bones and skin seasoned with Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Sear it on the olive oil in the pan for a couple of minutes on each side.
- Take chicken off the pan and add a bit of oil to the pan to start making Creamy Tuscan sauce. Dice an onion and some cloves of garlic and sauté them in the pan.
- Add a cup of dried tomatoes and a cup of cut spinach leaves. Saute them for a minute or two.
- Add some cream and grated cheese (preferably parmesan) and stir the sauce.
- Put chicken back in the pan and cook it in the sauce for 5-7 minutes. Then remove it from the stovetop.
Additionally, you can add to the sauce a glass of white wine and some fresh herbs. Yet even in the basic option, it tastes incredible.
The popularity of this dish increased greatly when it was served in the Olive Garden’s restaurant network under the name of Tuscan Garlic Chicken. There it was served with Italian fettuccine but today you are welcome to select more healthy side dishes for this meal.
Serving Creamy Tuscan Chicken: Some Ideas for a Perfect Combo
In Tuscan tradition, Creamy Tuscan Chicken can be served simply with some kind of bread like focaccia, ciabatta, Panini and cherry tomatoes. Yet it is quite possible to combine it with the following garnishing:
- Polenta chips;
- Risotto alla Milanese;
- Salsa Verde;
- Steamed asparagus or black-eyed peas;
- Roasted Brussels sprouts with parmesan;
- Tabbouleh salad.
Just remember that the Creamy Tuscan Chicken’s taste is rich enough so the garnish shouldn’t be too heavy and overspiced.
Talking About the Benefits of HLS: Why Creamy Tuscan Chicken Is Worth
What makes Creamy Tuscan Chicken a perfect match for the HLS menu? The first reason is its protein. Chicken breast is the most dietary type of meat but in this dish, it is not too dry and tasteless as usual. Then come vegetables – dried tomatoes, onions, and spinach which are sources of vitamins, Calcium, and Magnesium. Add to that herbs and garlic which boost metabolism and help better digest food. That’s bingo! Besides, this meal brings only 350 calories per serving (no side dishes are included). So you won’t overeat it.
Besides the useful background and rich taste, Creamy Tuscan Chicken is also easy to cook. Just 9 ingredients and 30 minutes are required. If that’s too much for you, you are welcome to get it with delivery, hot and freshly cooked.